You who?
by xlxSlothxlx
Summary: Who would of known the response between us... I wonder if we'll meet again and be as in love then as we are now ... We seem to drift and meet over and over ..each time our hearts Melt ... But are we in fear to act? ... you decide...
1. Chapter 1

naomiakeyrafire Fire: Two bright gold eyes looked over the lake from above. With a sigh she looked up at the moon, how long had she been waiting? The question only made butterfiles appear adn become viloent within her. She fixed her while dress, though it need not fixing, she then did the same with her hair. Then out of a moment of nervous oblivation she stooped down and picked up a unseemly yellow bag, she reached within and pulled out a small metal box with an inscription on the top. "Naomi .." She read outloud then almost wished she hadn't. Looking to the door, then back to the lake, she set the box on the wooden railing of the terrance and peeked over the edge. The two black wings extending from her back twiched slightly as she did do, her eyes seacrhing for somthing. "Where...I've c naomiakeyrafire Fire: Been here Forever!" Her face scrunched up in a sort of frown and she leaned her chin on her hands, looking over the edge. f 

Irvine: The doors opened slowly behind her and Irvine strode onto the terrace. He had taken to a new look with the passage of time. His boots were the same rugged and scuffed pair that he had always worn, but the pants were new and fresh. Something he had picked up from an old town that had some connection to his past. They were made of a leather-cotton meshing that amounted to a durable and comfortable fit. The belt that kept them about his hips was thick, black leather, and no longer supported a gun holster as it once had. His shirt was also of the leather-cotton mixture, short-sleeved and black. Lastly was his trusted leather jacket, a natural brown, and the back fell no farther than his hips. Like his boots, the gloves were also still there, fingertips shown. He stepped up next to Naomi. (C)  
Irvine: "It's been awhile."

naomiakeyrafire Fire: She gasped and almost fell forward,startled, but with a couple flaps of her wings she stedied herself. Naomi put her hand on her chest taking a few deep beaths to regain her composure. " I'd say it most Definitely has Irvine.." With this she showed a sheepish smile and looked down , a releived sigh pushing forth from between her lips. "You know I've been waiting a long time here .." She whisped looking out over the lake " A very long time " A moment of silence had none but passed before she jumped on him embracing a tight hug. "Damn you! ..I know it's my falt for not being around ...But i blame you for myself missing you !" She said somewhat smugly. She staped back then grinning"I see you've changed your style a bit " Circleing him she continued " I like it ... no guns " "Though they c Irvine is using an older version of Yahoo! Messenger and certain features may be unavailable. Click here to invite Irvine to upgrade.

naomiakeyrafire Fire: were somewhat appealing" She stated tipping her head to the side. Nothing but smiles she seemed to be though only a few moments before she was frowing. All was fixed in it's own little way, with this she looked out over the lake and sighed, the bright full moon singing it's sorrows over a lake of reflecting glass.f

naomiakeyrafire Fire: ((Cuz I'm super Cool and I use similes! loser sings this)  
Irvine: He smiled faintly and nodded, hugging her back. "I thought about keeping them for the memories, but they became... a burden of sorts. I have them in 'safe keeping.' " He leaned against the railing as he listened to her. A sudden frown came over her then, and he sombered up just as easily. "What's on your mind?" There were a multitude of things that Irvine could imagine them to be, and he was sure that there were plenty more things he couldn't think of as well.  
naomiakeyrafire Fire: "My mind?" She nuged him lightly "Why plenty of things cross my mind" Looking over at him she once more leaned her chin on her arm "I'm really gald your here for one, another my heart is sad a little But, if you can't guess why I won't tell you, for it's my little secret" Reaching for the small metal box she slid it down the railing " You know how scatterbrained I can be ...A redhead who is compared to a blonde but, one who can put those thoughts together...kind of" She chuckled to herself " But mostly my mind resides on the fact that you are here!... Really here! " she poked at his arm as if testing weather or not he truly was there but in a jokeing manner. "I feel I should cry I'm so glad, But I fear it would spoil the moment, and that is not what I wish to accomplish at all " Naomi c naomiakeyrafire Fire: bit her lip and tapped her fingers on the box "Do you know what this is?" She asked the sheepish grining once more makeing it's way across her features. " I always carry it with me though I do not deserve it ...it means more to me then anything " She paused looking over the edge pretending to see something interesting " Well almost anything"  
Irvine: He nodded, and stared at the lake while Naomi rattled off the list of things on her mind. When she returned to the topic of his presence, he met her gaze with another light smile. "Yes, I'm here, and it certainly is a privilege in more ways than one. But that's for another time." He looked down at the box. "No, I don't know what it is. Would you care to explain?" He probed it with his eyes, but there really wasn't anything remarkable about it on the outside.

naomiakeyrafire Fire: "It has to do with you " She looking inot his probing eyes " And No! I won't tell you ...it's just embarssing on my part " She moved a tiny bit closer as if to tell soem terrible secret " But I will tellyou this ...You gave it to me a long time ago " Thinking for a moment Naomi chnaged her words "Well no THAT long ago ... but it feels like enterninty ... But Due to some things yo know and I'd rather not bring up I feel I don't deserve it ...but I Could never give it up ... " Her golden eyes changed to a light blue showing a great sadness within She tried to hide it somewhat but this girl was never very good at hideing things.  
Irvine: He nodded and laid a hand upon the box. He looked up at her inquisitively. "Well then, do you mind if I look?" Whether or not he was allowed to see it didn't really matter to Irvine now. He was confident he knew what it was, and if he never laid eyes on it again, he was okay with that. That part of his second life was already beginning to fade in his mind. Hell, all of his memories were starting to fade. This second life wasn't all it was made out to be, but it was better than his other option to be sure. It was moments like this, though, that made him question his reasoning for petitioning for a second life. That was not to say he hadn't enjoyed it; He certainly had. The problem seemed to be lost in translation, already faded with the memories of long ago. He sighed (C)  
Irvine: and tapped out a cigarette then lit it. So much for dropping that habit... Without any external encouragement, it had come right back. The old die hard.  
naomiakeyrafire Fire: (Yeah But I have to start over sooooooo hold on)  
naomiakeyrafire Fire: "Irvine!" She yelped almost snaching the box from his grasp only decieding against it at the last moment. Her hand returned to her sides and she gave him a somewhat skttish look , though deep within strong emotion played in the background of her eyes. She was scared to be honest and a red hush crossed her cheeks, she was tring to fight it though. You couls tell in the way she began nibbling on her bottem lipand her hands came to grasp eachother in pure nervous standing. She watched his face looking for some sign, somewhat expecting, anger, but she thought she saw regret and maybe a looking of giveing up. That hurts she thought to herself But no matter what I'm here to mend This thought decied as it was long ago, She arched an eyebrow as he tapped out a cigarette and lit it. Almost c naomiakeyrafire Fire: Instantly she snached it and tossed it off the terrance "No..." Crossing her arms she flashed him a dissapproveing look "None of that ... I'll have to... uhh " She thought for a moment "Hit you?" The statement that was ment to be pushy and seroius came out more as a question, in hopes of a listening earf Irvine: He merely watched her with a silent curiosity at her reaction. It was obviously of something importance which reinforced his presumptions about the object inside, or possibly objects, but it didn't matter, as he had suspected. She didn't want him looking, and he would respect that of course. When the cigarette was stolen from him, he couldn't help but smile. Of course. She had been the person to start enforcing the end of his smoking. He laughed silently. "I promise. No more cigarettes, at least for the rest of the night"  
naomiakeyrafire Fire: "Rest of the night?...Heh...Never will only make me a happy camper" With that she thought of takeing the rest he had though he could just buy more...A prediciment She thought to herself blues eyes looking back at the box between them . "Umm Go ahead.. "She paused again nervous to no end but still w illing participent in her own mind "Open it " In her mindshe pictured what was in the box, small round and silver,with a few words engraved on it and wrapped in bright green silk. On the inside of the cover the words "Never Forget " wriiten in a stange kind of ink she found in some odd exotic place, it seemed to glow For there were many nights in which she found the box on her lap and herself looking in it and touching it's contents and no longer able to see in the dark Naomi was glad it c

naomiakeyrafire Fire: did glow in such a way. "But one thing ... Your not alowed to laugh at me ..." She knew he would never laugh but it was just to be said ,to be said. Besides she needed something else to say, to keep herself from reeling. She watched him, blue eyes studing him as if she blinked for a second she would miss something important, or important to her at least.f Irvine: He reached into his jacket and pulled out his packet of cigarettes and lighter then tossed them over the railing. "I'm trying," he replied quietly, his eyes on the box again for a moment. Irvine looked back up at her for a moment, studying her gaze as she studied him. Then he opened it slowly. He found that his guess had been right. He looked up. "I would never laugh at you, just your jokes." He smiled faintly and looked down to the box again. After staring for a few moments and recollecting some of his memories that had faded from existence, he closed the box again. "I suppose I did know, all along... I have trouble remembering these days." He smiled in that same light way, but it seemed to have a burden that was not carried by any of his previous smiles.  
naomiakeyrafire Fire: "You should of known .." She gave a slight frown at his comment of memory wondering if he chose to forget,decieding to just hope not Naomi let out a breath she did not know she had been holding. Hers eyes rested on his still noteing a troubleing looki in his eyes and a smile that hid something she placed a hand on his arm worry puching inot her eyes as waves would across the shore, though if one looked hard enough they would see a bit of confusion as well. "Something ...is wrong.." Her voice was low and also sounded troubled "Tell me...Please"  
Irvine: Irvine nodded. He should have known, and he realized after seeing it, that he had suspected it. Now relished the silence, however brief it was. With another weak smile, Irvine nodded. "Yes, I'll tell you, but you have to promise me one thing first." He gazed down at the lake intermittently. "You have to promise we'll go for a swim in the near future." He paused to let it sink in then continued. "The problem is my memory. Before death... I remember it as well as I do last week. But from the beginning of my second life and running up to about a month ago, I have difficulty remembering things without some sort of stimulus. It's just bothersome really"  
naomiakeyrafire Fire: She looked down at the lake a direct smile, bright and willfull appearing. "The lake huh?... Thats not a problem at all " Secretly she had waited here knowing in the end he might get that very same idea besides here it never grew cold therefor swimming could be done at anytime. Then she thought about what he said and wondered aloud " I wonder what happened to make your memory fade in such a way..." She placed her other hand on her chin thinking her eyebrows furrowing at her own question. Well he'll answer it if he wants ...I can wait She nodded to herself thinking that best then she looked back to the door. "I feel not like going down all those stairs ...Might I suggest something a little faster?" She grined at him, one of those grins in which if you knew her well enough you might c naomiakeyrafire Fire: to worry what was going in that mind of hersf Irvine: He nodded. "I know what it is, though. I've already spoken with Nevanda on the matter." Irvine decided to leave it at that. If Naomi found it to be a truly pressing matter, he would finish the explanation. If not, they would move on with life. He looked at the stairs, and then down at the lake. He knew what she had in mind as soon as she mentioned the stairs. Still, he felt a need to be independent. Maybe it was that prolonged seperation from his old friends that created it, but it was there none the less, and came to him in the form of intuitive thought; the same way he recognized all of his other truly fundamental decisions. So he did his best to fend it off. "Whatever you have in mind," he answered before he allowed his mind the time to second-guess.  
naomiakeyrafire Fire: " Well ... I can't fly anymore " She didn't seem sad about it, in fact she sounded rather happy a few reasons stood strong behind this and all made her glow. "But I can Glide; besides it's quicker and I might as well get some last good use out of these wings " She strached them out to there full extent ,brushing the tips against his face. "And weather you say yes or not when we get down there you can tell me what Nevanda said if you so desire em to know" She points and wags her index finger at him "And I would like to just to let you know " With this she picked up the box and closed it, wipeing the fingers prints off as a daily rituial before placeing it back in the yellow bag. "So" Said said as she stood "What do you say?" a chuckle came from her lips as she hefted the small leather c naomiakeyrafire Fire: Straps of the bag upon her shouldersf Irvine: He nodded, listening intently. He stepped aside as the feathers brushed his cheek, then moved closer. Part of him was still uncomfortable with the idea, but Irvine managed to keep it confined. "Then let's put them to good use," he replied. "No point in wasting them." He watched as she packed up the box then looked toward the lake. "And yes, I will tell you what she told me. I must say that your method of interrogation is very indirect." Whether that was taken negatively or positively was up to Naomi in the end. It was one of those things Irvine would say that made one wondered just what he was trying to get at.  
naomiakeyrafire Fire: "Indirect ..." She thought about it for a moment "Well I thought it was quiet direct...I was just tring not to seem too pusy?" She climbed up on the railing and held out her hand " I promise You won't get hurt ...I'm stronger then I look for now and I'll keep you safe." She could see he wasn't all that excited about the idea and smiled to herself . It was a little cute actually, he was nervous and honestly it would worry her if he wasn't a little unsure about it after all they were pretty high up and she just wanted to show him something she just wasn't to say nor planned on explaining. As she waited his final descision her eyes flickered gold a moment then stayed blue.  
Irvine: He nodded. "You were being indirect, but that's beside the point..." He let the sentence fall in an open-ended fashion. He stepped up onto the railing, confident in his balance. "I don't doubt your strength or your judgment," he replied, looking down at the lake. "If I did, I would have said so." Irvine stood there, staring at the water for a few seconds, contemplating multiple things at once. Finally, he broke his stare and met Naomi's gaze. "Alright. I'm ready whenever you are. Just tell me how this is going to work." Truthfully, Irvine wouldn't have been surprised if she just grabbed hold of him and dropped over the side. More to the point, he had no worries about Naomi's ability to carry this out successfully in whatever method she chose.  
naomiakeyrafire Fire: "Like this!" She simply wrapped her arms around his waist and jumped. Her wings beat there air and held them there for a moment before they slowly began to drift down and she spread her wings."Well I'm glad you have some faith in me ...for something I might say for the both of us it seems for a time we both might of lost faith in ourselfs" They drifted slowly toward the lake a small wind pushing them up slightly before they drifted to the ground at the edge of the lake. Naomi let him loose bit by bit her hands letting him slide from her grasp about two feet from the ground. Just as she let go her wings beat the air furiously again and she landed with a gasp and a slight tumble and roll.


	2. Chapter 2

Irvine: The flight itself was short-lived and rather anti-climactic, all things considered. The landing, however, was the most eventful, if uncomfortable. He dropped a couple of feet to land on his own while Naomi continued her graceful descent. The landing was anything but graceful. He moved toward her quietly and sat down. "Are you alright?" Unconsciously, Irvine had begun to reach for his jacket pocket. Noticing this, he tapped the outside of his jacket lightly, then moved his hand away. It was just a few minutes ago that he had promised for the umpteenth time to give up smoking. He was obviously off to a bad start.  
Naomi: She had finally landed on her back and found herself stareing upinto the stars above. "Yeah...I'm ok" She said quietly looking over to him just in time to notice his tap his coat. "Irvine...I saw that ." Naomi sat up and looked back at him for a moment before she began to undo the ribbons on her lace up boots. She sat there slightly hunched over and complaining to herself on how complicated it is to untie the damn things. Though once finished she sighed and set them neatly to the side then moved to lay on her tummy in front of him " See? I told you , you'd be fine " She grined as she said it then went silent, blue eyes watching him almost expecting something.  
Naomi: ( Sorry about that my soup almost burned on the stove)  
Irvine: Irvine watched whilst Naomi fiddled with her boots then turned to face him. He nodded and smiled weakly. "I didn't ever doubt you." Then he glanced down at his jacket. "Yes, I know you did. And you should be proud of me, if anything. I resisted the urge to take one." He let a silence fall between them for a time, while his eyes wandered over the tranquil water nearby. There wasn't really anything remarkable about it aside from the fact that it was unusually pristine. (Skillful as always)  
Naomi: " I am proud" she retorted after a bit "but then again I'm not , as of the only reason you didn't is because I Was here" With this she stood and walked toward the water's edge gazing across the moonlit water. She looked back at him again "You coming?" it came out more as a statment then a question. Naomi looked back over the water and reached behind her neck with both arms and pulled the strings that tied her dress. It fell and pooled around her legs and of course she had something on underneth a small pair of white shorts and a matching tube top. Naomi then stepped out of her dress and picked it up to toss it over by her shoes. She then turned and strided to Irvine grabed him by the hands and pulled him to his feet. "Come on now your taking much to long" She slid behind him and pulled c Naomi: his coat off from the soulders. "Go on kick those boots off" she said as she set his coat down then took his hat and set it on top of it. e Irvine: He shrugged. "You do what you've got to do," he murmured. He watched as she neared the water, wondering when they were going to swim. As if she had read his mind, Naomi pulled Irvine to his feet, and tugged off his jacket. He didn't fight it. Rather, he stepped away and pulled off his boots. After a few moments of contemplation, he also removed his shirt. With his arms crossed over his chest to conceal the series of small, round burn marks along his forearms, he approached the water, reminded once more of how different a second-life was from the original.  
Naomi: Naomi stepped up beside him "What are those from ?" She demaned her eyes never missing anything. Now they were probing the marks on his forearms, she stepped in front of him looking him in the eyes " You'll tell me " She whispered as she grabed her tiny hands about his wrists and pulled them from their crossed position she moved back till her heels were balenceing on the very egde of the land, pulling him with her. "Oops" She grinned and let herself fall backwards , atempting to take him down with her.  
Irvine: He sighed silently and met her gaze with a sonorous look of his own. He was about to answer, when she pulled leaned back and pulled him with her toward the water. Unprepared, Irvine tried to remain upright, but failed. He landed on his hands and knees, the water just beyond his elbows. After the water had settled, he wondered whether or not Naomi had tried to plan this out. He wouldn't be surprised if she had, but if she hadn't, he would feel much more inclination to share the tale of the marks on his arms. Either way, though, he was sure it was bound to happen. So he finally resorted to the simplest tactic. "Are you alright"  
Naomi: "I'm fine" She answered looking up at him from the water, the water was deep even just at the edge. She just smiled and ficked a bit of water at him " I figured it be cruel to just pull you in but I brought you to my level anyway " Naomi looked down at the water "Are you ok?" she wondered if that might of hurt him pulling him down like that, though she had not thought of it till it had already happened. She drew a symbol on the waters surface with her index fingers before looking up at him again. "Please tell me you didn't do that to yourself" Her voice was worried , distraught and a little sad all in one.  
Irvine is using an older version of Yahoo! Messenger and certain features may be unavailable. Click here to invite Irvine to upgrade.

Irvine: He smiled now, but faintly. "I'm alright." He nodded to emphasize his point then sat himself in the shallows alongside her. He laid his forearms over his knees and looked away then, not saying anything. The truth was they had been self-inflicted. He just hadn't expected them to last as they had.  
Irvine: (Shorty-ness)  
Naomi: " You did ...didn't you" She looked down again for a moment before moveing to him and hugging him. "Why Irvine?...Why do such a thing to yourself?" Her left hand moved for his chin and pulled his face to look at her. "Your too good for this " her hand moved down the the marks and she lightly let her finger tips move over them her face twisted in pain, almost as if she felt the burns herslef. (Right back ya)  
Irvine: He met her eyes solemnly. "It was very childish of me, I know... But I hadn't expected them to last... Normally, they wouldn't have left any marks. I didn't know at the time what changes I was going through. It's not an excuse, I know, but it was part of my reasoning behind it." He paused to look down at his arms. He wondered if she could tell what they were from. "Do you know what made those marks?" He was hesitant to find out if she could match them, but he couldn't tell which answer would be more frightening.  
Naomi: Her fingers still lightly going over the marks closed around his arm. "Those damn cigs is what it looks like " She whispered sadly "and it seems you might of been doing this all along " She shook her head slightly. " I just don't understand, it hurts me to even see such a thing on you ." she leaned her head toward his arm and kissed one. At one point in time that alone could of made the mark disapper, but now with such little power she had left it would of done nothing but sent a shiver down his spine. Naomi moved back from him a bit then, not knowing what else to do, she coudln't do what she wanted and her mind reeled only in that direction. She just closed her eyes and sighed letting her hand play upon the water.  
Irvine: He nodded quietly, watching her all the while. When she kissed his arm, he shivered slightly, surprised. He sighed again. If only my body hadn't chosen to give out then, it wouldn't be a problem. "Naomi... It's not your fault. I just... I don't even know..." he chuckled at his own ridiculity and stupidity. It was a frail laugh paired with a frail smile that quickly dissipated. "If I had known they would stay, I wouldn't have done it." He knew it was a fruitless attempt, but Irvine was willing to reach for anything at the moment. "If I had known I'd see you again, and they'd still be there, I wouldn't have let myself go." But it was too late. The vicious cycle had already begun: Irvine's self-mutilation had not only left lasting marks, but had come to pain Naomi. Ultimately, that made it (C Irvine: his fault. And being at fault, Irvine felt extremely ashamed, wishing there was some way he could fix it. Nevanda, why?? Of course, begging Death's Aid would do him no good. She wasn't a very empathetic person to say the least.  
Naomi: " It is my falt, no matter what you say it is" she bothered not to open her eyes, she felt if she did tears would begin to fall. "If I had not beed such a damn fool, I would of not let anything happen to you" She turned her back to him. " I ... I don't want you ...to hurt .. in any way whatsoever" She turned to him again and lay her plam on his chest jus over his heart " I may have not ben here in the flesh Irvine... but I was here , I was right here where I wanted to be" Her other hand she placed over her own heart "Just as you are here ... you always have been always will be" She bit her lip and looked up at him forceing back tears. " Which is why I came back all the way for no one but you " She removed her hand from his chest " I won't let anything happen to you Irvine ...c Naomi: not like this or anything else...you are my reason to go on...and Why I'll always fight the fates that have been bestowed upon me " She set a soft smile o her lips "Just promise me ...you'll let me be there for you ...thats all I ask "  
Irvine: Despite the rather harsh words aimed in both directions, he smiled softly. "Of course I'll let you be there, but in all honesty I don't think it's I who is truly hurting." He leaned forward and cupped one cheek in his hand and ran his thumb just beneath her eye, as if wiping away invisible tears that had been shed. He remembered performing the movement before, but this time Irvine felt a much more paternal gesture than a romantic one, which was odd. Though he was older, he had never considered himself in any way to be a father figure to anyone, let alone be an actual father. The idea seemed too far-fetched for him, especially after Naomi had disappeared for that period of time. "So, in turn, I ask that you allow me to do the same. Otherwise, I cannot truly accept"  
Naomi: She could not look him in the eyes , inside she felt herself rip in half but she forced a smile. " I accept" The words were low and shaky. " I just wanted to let you know something though, and I'm warning you I will not explain" She stepped back from him." There's something you did for me ...long ago" Naomi kept moveing deeper into the water " I did the same for you, just so I could come back and so a certain two people would leave me be ...for they would have no more use for me " Honeslty Naomi wanted to tell him but shefelt now it would not matter, she deservered it. God I hate ...this She thought to herself whileist trying to put on a happy face "But I'll leave you to figure it out " With that she turned again "But for now a change of subject... Want to race? " She flicked c Naomi: at a fish as it swam by "I don't have an advantage ...so it will be equal "  
Irvine: Irvine frowned for a brief moment, but didn't press the matter, however curious he happened to be. She said she would not explain, and although it bothered him, he accepted it. Perhaps with time this rift would close itself, but for now their relationship was still very rocky at best. He stood and moved out into the water toward her. "Why don't we swim just for the fun of it?" He hesitated to add the rest of what he was about to say, but in the end decided that it would just destroy what little openness they had if he didn't. "I fear I'll feel like an old man if we start having races." He couldn't help but smile a little at his own insecurities, and what's more, his own age.  
Naomi: She streched her arms to the sky "Alright then " She pointed to a barely visiable snad bank about 125 feet in frount of them " How about to that sandbank over there" She lowered her arms and wiped her hand over her eyes " I have a feeling we might find something neat there" Naomi pushed off a bit flaoting slowly ahead "What do ya say?" (Shorty? ...sad shorty)  
Irvine: "Sounds good." He nodded and swam after her, setting a steady pace for himself. He used a simple breast stroke, and kept his head up as he made his way quietly through the water. His body didn't feel nearly as bad as he had expected, and he silently thanked... well, he put his thanks out there for whomever happened to consider watching over humans to be of importance, even if he was technically dead. All the while he swam, Irvine wondered just what exactly she expected to find on the sandbank, but never voiced his question. He was sure he would find out soon enough. 


End file.
